“It’s no Rauf what’s going to save us from the guards. He must leave us here, as he canna be seen as helping us in any way. We travel on our own, the three of us, you, me and Elesyria. We’ll have to watch for an opportunity along the way to break free of them.”
The three of them? Against a company of trained guards? They were so screwed.
“You must calm yerself, Sister.” Christiana patted her back once more before backing away. “Yer disquiet will put the guards on the defensive. Now get in the back of the wagon with the barrels. It’s yer task to remove the plug as soon as we enter the tunnel. Elesyria and I will ride in the front.”
Rauf had already disappeared by the time Dani climbed into the wagon and with him all traces of the opening in the wall had disappeared as well.
Dani shifted the blankets she sat upon, attempting to make them more comfortable, but the long lump underneath her didn’t give. A peek under the woolen confirmed that she sat upon Malcolm’s sword and scabbard. If they were to have any chance at all, she’d have to pass the weapon to him quickly once he was out of his hiding place. Though, in truth, all she could envision was six men using him for target practice the instant he tried to stand.
“Hang in there, love,” she whispered, knowing he couldn’t hear her but feeling better for having said it anyway.
“Orabilis is a fair odd little woman,” Christiana began, speaking loudly as if for an audience. “Living out in her little hut all by herself. So old and wizened that many call her witch. But I ken her to be wise and kind and loving, so it matters no to me what others call her. Oh! Here is our escort now.”
Dani leaned around the barrel to see the men who would accompany them, the thought of how screwed they were flooding back as the guards came into view.
There were six of them, three lining up on each side of the cart as it began to roll forward.
Six. All large and foul-tempered from the looks of them.
“Ulfr made no mention of the other ladies accompanying you on yer journey today, Mistress Christiana.”
The guard riding next to the front of the cart appeared to be the man in charge.
“I dinna seek permission of Ulfr to take my new sister to meet the woman who cared for me after my own mother’s death. It’s our lord, Torquil, who would grant such a boon. Do you care to delay us, and bother him, to question what he might have ordered?”
“No, Mistress,” the guard responded quickly, his face paling. “We’ll no bother our lord with such as this. Move out!”
Dani released the breath she’d been holding, daring to hope for the first time that they might actually make it outside the walls of Tordenet Castle.
Passing through the long, narrow tunnel, the guards were forced to take positions three in front and three in back of the cart. Dani made use of the filtered light and the distance of the guards to dig her fingers into the air-blocking plug to work it from the hole in the barrel. When it gave way to her frantic efforts, she was certain the gasp for air she heard was not her imagination.
“Do you feel that,” Elesyria sighed aloud, her face tilted toward the sun as the heavy iron gates clanged down behind them. “It’s as if I am born again.”
“Aye, my lady,” the guard riding nearest her agreed. “It’s a right fair day for this time of year.”
The next couple of hours passed slowly, each jog and bounce of the wagon reminding Dani of how cramped and uncomfortable Malcolm must be in his hiding spot. The idle chatter passing between Elesyria and Christiana weighed heavily on her nerves. How could they babble on comparing one herb to another when there appeared to be no way to overpower the men who effectively held them captive?
Not even Malcolm could possibly take down all six. Especially not after having spent hours cramped into an uncomfortable squat. He’d be lucky to stand on his own two feet, let alone try to engage in battle.
“Pull up here, dear,” Elesyria suggested brightly. “Just inside the trees. I’ve a need to stretch my legs.”
Dani looked up from her worries to find the land had changed as they’d traveled from flat and brush-covered to hilly and, just ahead, heavily forested.
“This is no a good spot for us to—” the guard who had begun to protest stopped, his jaw dropping slack and his eyes glazing over.
“That’s a good boy,” Elesryia complimented, climbing over into the back of the cart. “What say we pop the lid on our floured warrior. These gents won’t have anything to say about it.”
All too true, Dani realized, looking around the circle of guards. Each of them wore the same expression, as if they’d gone to sleep with their eyes open.
Together she and Elesryia managed to pry the lid from the barrel. Once freed, Malcolm wasted little time in climbing from his confinement, though Dani was sure his legs must be cramping him something awful.
“Battered warrior, I should have said.” Elesyria dusted her hands together, stepping back to put space between herself and the barrel. “Should have realized dry flour and wet warrior would not a good combo make.”
Even covered in the dusty goo that clung to his skin and hair, Malcolm looked wonderful to Dani. Too wonderful to postpone any longer the kiss she’d wanted.
Rising on her tiptoes, she fastened her hands around his neck and pulled his head down until their lips met.
With a possessive growl, he pulled her close, delivering a kiss that didn’t disappoint until he pulled away.
